Sled shoe and runner protector



J. THIBAULT.

SLED SHOE AND RUNNER PROTECTOR. APPucATmM men umzs. 1919.

1,341,087, Patented May 25, 1920.

I NVENTUR Joseph 'Thibault JQSEPH'THIBAULT, OF PRINCE ALBERT, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

SLED SHOE AND RUNNER PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMay 25, 1920.

Application flied December 28, 1919. Serial No. 846,926.

lb all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH THIBAULT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of the city of Prince Albert, in the Province of Saskatchewan, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sled Shoes and Runner Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sled shoes and runner protectors.

At the present time steel is almost exclusively used in the manufacture of shoes for sled runners and an endeavor has been made to use cast iron, but it has been found that if a cast iron shoe is made broad enough to suitably fulfil the functions required, it is too heavy and thus not practical. Attempts have been made to construct cast iron shoes thick and then bore them, right through, but this weakens the shoe which is liable to fracture when subjected to a bending action.

It is generally acknowledged that a cast iron shoe would run more smoothly and easier than a steel one, but the above objections have heretofore prevented the adoption of a cast iron shoe. Again if the shoe is subjected to jarring and a spring action as when passing over uneven roads, then the cast iron shoe usually breaks.

The objects of the present invention is to eliminate the above drawbacks and to render the shoe fairly broad, light and capable of withstanding ordinary bending actions without fracture taking pla e.

Further objects are to prevent skidding and render the several parts of the runner easily accessible for inspection and repair.

The invention consists essentially of an improved construction of shoe and protector an embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sled runner embodying my improved invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same showing part of the protector and shoe in section.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a runner equipped with my invention.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a runner of any usual shape and construction which is designed to engage with and be embraced for the major part of its len 11 by the protector 10 which is oi" substantia 1y U-shape.

This protector carries a shoe l1 oi cast iron, relatively broad but of such a thickness as to render the shoe the desired Weight, and the shoe curves upwardly at the front of the runner A, which. is provided with a U-shaped protecting member 12.

In assembling the shoe, protector and runner, the shoe 11 is first attached to the lower transverse member of the U shaped protector 10 by means: of pins 13, which only extend half-way through the shoe. The runner A is then engaged with the protector, and the lateral walls of the protector embrace the latter walls of the runner, and

the protector is held in engagement with the runner by means of bolts 14 or other fastening means which pass through the lateral walls of the protector and the runner.

The rear end of the shoe 11 is secured to the runner by a bolt 15 and the front of the shoe is connected to the runner by a bolt 16. On the top of the runner a longitudinal bearing member 17 is provided on which the bolster 18 rests, and the bolster is engaged by a spring 19 which is of an inverted U- shape and provided with offset ends 20 which are engaged by clips 21 secured to the runner A.

A non skidding device consisting of a blade 23 of steel or like material having rounded ends is attached to the runner intermediate of the length thereof, and projects slightly below the shoe 11.

on this form of a runner is in use and is subjected to bending, the protector 1O strengthens the runner and prevents fracture of the shoe 11, and resiliency is given to the shoe 11 by the use of the inverted U-shaped spring 19.

The shoe 11 is made of suflicient breadth and thickness to give the desired weight and to provide of a broad track being made with the road. so giving to the runner a smooth and easy action when being manually drawn over the snow.

The non skidding blade 23 cuts into the snow and prevents side slipping or skidding taking place, but as the blade 23 has rounded ends it does not impede the forward movement ol? the runner.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims, constructed Without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompaiiying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with a sled runner of a protector embracing the runner for the major part of its length, and a shoe carried by the protector.

2. The combination with a runner, of a U-shaped protector designed to embrace the runner for the greater part of its length, and a shoe connected to the protector.

The combination with a runner, of a U-shaped protector designed to embrace the runner for a greater part of its length, and a vast iron shoe secured to the protector.

I131 witness whereof I have hereunto set my han JOSEPH THIBAULT. 

